Looking for advice: shifter toe pain

[sib]

In the last couple of days I've developed a very painful big toe area on my left foot, and I think it has something to do with lifting my toes when upshifting my '16 V7II Stone.  I can now barely walk, and I hate to think about trying to run.  I've read about "motorcyclist's toe" and some advise getting a rearset, so I can upshift by pushing my heel down instead of lifting with the front of my foot.  I don't like the idea of a rearset because the changed ergos would put more of my weight on my arms.  Is there such a thing as a heel-toe shifter for the newer V7's that doesn't move the foot backward like a rearset does?  Others advise training myself to upshift with my whole foot while keeping my toes pointed downward.  I'd appreciate any advice.  In the meantime, I'm taking time off from riding until my foot heals a bit.  That's a pain of a different kind.

[JeffOlson]

I would try a boot with a Norwegian welt, such as a Danner boot (of which I have several). They allow shifting with the side ledge of the boot rather than the top of the toe. Very nice!

[brlawson]

Make sure you don't have gout. It tends to manifest itself in situations like yours.

[sib]

Make sure you don't have gout. It tends to manifest itself in situations like yours.

Good advice.  I've never had any gout symptoms before in my longish (73 years) life, but I will check out the possibility.

[mtiberio]

sciatica

[sib]

sciatica

From what I've read, sciatica can certainly cause lower leg pain, but not as low as the big toe.  However, thanks for the suggestion.

[pyoungbl]

I had a similar pain problem,  Dr. diagnosed it as arthritis (a cousin to gout).  Celebrex is now my friend.  My pain was at the ball of the foot and I was blaming it on my boots.  At 69 I'm too young for this crap!
Peter Y.

[Yeahoo Whoyah]

Or you could park the new V7 and get an old V7 with right side shift. 

[mtiberio]

I have spondylolisthesis. A slipped disc (L5 to S1) pinches my leg nerve. One manifestation, numb/painful toe. Not technically sciatica, but no less real

[sib]

You didn't mention what sort of footwear you use.

In this warmer season, I'm wearing Alpinestars S-MX-1 ventilated boots.  I've been wearing them for 3 seasons and they've been fine up until now.

My 2012 V7R (old 5 speed) caused me the same problems.  I bought some Sidi Doha boots and solved the problem.  Transmission eventually got easier to shift as well.

I'll look into these, thanks.

BTW, rearsets move the whole footpeg/shifter assembly aft.  They do not provide a heal shift point.

Thanks, there's always more to learn.

[charlie b]

If you are handy you can make a heel shifter to go on the shift lever.  I did that with my first bike.  When in the military using the toe to upshift would ruin the shine on my shoes/boots.  :)

I just got a piece of 3/8" steel bar and bent it into shape.  Set the rear portion so it was about an inch behind my heel when the feet were on the pegs in 'normal' position.  To upshift I'd move the balls of my foot to the peg and heel would be over the lever.

How you attach it to the lever depends on your setup.  Mine had a small 'tab' welded to it that was held by the bolt that secured the stock shift lever.  The forward end was retained by attaching to the stock shift lever (originally a hose clamp, then a custom bracket welded on).

You can find standard heel-toe shifters, but, I found most are made for floorboards and interfere with the foot on the peg.

[canuguzzi]

Make your life simple and have a steel, aluminum or polymer toe shield put on your riding boot. That way might loose some shifter feel but there will be nearly zero pressure on your toe. You won't have to adjust your ergos or anything like that. You can make one up yourself out of ABS and a heat gun or hair dryer.

I think I have one I made up a while ago and see if I can post a picture of it. Easy to make, easier to use.

[MotoGoosy]

I just broke my left big toe yesterday rear-ending a minivan and although it's solid purple, I still rode my bike this morning.  You need to see a doc, cuz it sounds like degenerative arthritis, which I have in my right thumb.

[canuguzzi]

Come to think of it, my right big toe has some of what you're talking about, slight but increasing in severity little by little. Luckily used only for braking and no upward pressure is needed.

Time for an auto trans bike?

[atavar]

Trim your toenails!   

[acogoff]

     Heel shifter.

[menzies]

I had a situation very similar, the doc said it was tendonitis, Celebrex held it a bay for a period of time and I have not been bothered in awhile. Good luck with the situation, it literally is a pain.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 As one whose feet are dead, I have been unable to upshift with a toe for years,  I put my foot in front of the shift lever and lift it with the heel.  It is not  as graceful as with the toe but it works just fine.  Try it, you may like it.

[donn]

You can find standard heel-toe shifters, but, I found most are made for floorboards and interfere with the foot on the peg.

I don't know how relevant this is to the new V7s, but I have the impression that heel/toe shift has coexisted with pegs on Tonti frames from the 850T to the California Stone.

[jackson]

Very possibly, gout.  Your doctor can perform a simple blood test for high uric acid.  If it's gout, you can easily lower your uric acid with a generic pill of Allopurinol (or other med) each day.

[Vasco DG]

Gout guess how I know! 

[sturgeon]

... or a bunion. Ask me how I know ;-)

[canuguzzi]

Maybe this will help.

http://www.discountsafetygear.com/bootsaver-toeguards.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=119392414818&gclid=CPvLpdHx58YCFY9ufgodyvgEaA

also from Amazon by searching for:

Boot-Saver-Guards-Boots-Protector

Cheap and might help you continue riding.

[Sasquatch Jim]

  Allopurinol caused my blood pressure to spike high.  In the 170s and 180s.  I can't use it.  Changes in diet can help a lot, as can exercise.
 My blood pressure on the tenth was 106 over 63.  Not too bad for a 6'5" 230 pound geezer.

[Moto Fugazzi]

Did you try a different pair of boot? A pair of mine has an extra long heel, and I can only get a toe under the shifter. Very uncomfortable.
You can also take off the shifter from the splines to change position so that you might be able to get more of your foot under it.
Ken

[gfritzmeier]

For the last couple years I've had to move my leg to up-shift and my foot didn't hurt at the time. Eventually my leg started to hurt on and off. I was getting al sorts of advice at the gym as to how to stretch it out. Nothing helped and it slowly got worse. Big toe and inside of my left foot didn't hurt much but was always had pins and needle's like it was sleeping. Then I noticed when walking the left foot kinda flopped down. I couldn't stand on m heels. Went to Mayo Clinic(I live in Rochester) and two weeks ago I had surgery to remove some of disk to keep from putting pressure on nerves between vertebra 5 & 6( I've got one extra). Leg pain was immediately gone . If anything don't wait. I waited long enough that some of the damage done to foot and leg may be permanent. I have to wait up to two years to find out. I have heel toe shifter with pegs and couldn't shift without it. Thinking about adding floorboards to my California.

[trippah]

Went thru a bout of gout (they think) last month.  Pain, swelling and hot to the touch.  Ur acid test a little high, they could NOT see any crystals on the Xray.  Rather not do that again.  Good luck finding out the culprit.

[Sasquatch Jim]

 With high uric acid you could find yourself pissing rocks.  They will be a sort of orange color and if you look at one under magnification they are jagged like snowflakes.  That's why they are so much fun to pass.  The pain is highly over rated.  They don't hurt any worse than pulling a long strand of barbed wire out the end of your digeridoo.

[Muzz]

Had pain in the big toe joint; it was an arthritic condition where a bony bit grew across the top of the joint. If I nudged the toe at all I would almost pass out with the pain. Had it operated on with a nerve blocker. Was surprised at the size of it when the surgeon showed me. He could not get rid of all the arthritis but it still pretty good about 8-9 years after the op.  The main symptom (other than intense pain) was the fact that the toe could not bend upwards due to the bony growth stopping it.  Changing gear was awful!

[Tom]

Steel-toe boots but you should check for a med. problem too. :1: